This Futuristic Truck Concept Is Meant To Be Here by 2030: Aims To Reinvent Everything

Ladies and gents, the exploration into form, function, and design before us today has been dubbed nothing more than the Scorpion. It's a pickup truck design from the mind of none other than South Korean Automotive Design student Chang Hyun Lee, and according to this up-and-coming designer's social media and project pages, this is the one and only work currently available.

However, what I found rather neat about the Scorpion and Mr. Lee is that this thing has seen some rather extensive R&D, some of which are very unique ideas that you won't see anywhere else. I'm not just talking about the way this thing looks; that's clearly out there.

In order to redesign the pickup truck, Mr. Lee focused his attention on the cargo hold. According to his Behance page, the classic boxed-in look and functionality of the pickup truck are a "restrictive" one, so the Scorpion breaks away from the boxy and hard wall design we've grown accustomed to and changes it up a bit.

As a result, Mr. Lee does something we may never see on a pickup truck, at least not like this. Along the Scorpion's center line, a pillar separates the bed into two separate cargo holds. The benefit here is that there are no walls, so if your cargo extends beyond the wheel wells, it's not a problem at all.

However, if you need lateral protection, two walls can extend from that central column, letting us load taller cargo this time around. This feature also lets Scorpion operators create several storage spaces in this bay. Just stop the partition from sliding all the way to its outermost point and create cargo holds for things like spare tires and tools.

There is a flaw, however, and it's the very pillar this whole system is based around; it doesn't allow for cargo to pass through it, so we're actually a tad limited in terms of what we can bring along. This rear design is also the reason for this vehicle's name and was indeed inspired by the arachnid (the scorpion) itself.

Moving toward the front of the Scorpion, we can see smooth and indented body paneling along the doors, showcasing that whole futuristic look that's so popular in Asia these days. Composite materials with a rugged and sharp feel line the lower half of the truck.

At the very front of the truck, Lee shows us a rather squared-off Humvee look, one that's been inspired and tweaked according to motocross helmets, mainly the visor. Oh, and since the bumper has been reserved for nothing other than an oversized winch, the headlights have been integrated around the windshield; those LED strips. It actually looks rather neat.

There's just one problem I have with the windshield. If you direct your attention to the sides of the Scorpion, you'll see these little extensions that reach out beyond your field of vision, and while Lee claims the windshield has been curved to raise visibility, these protrusions wipe all that away.

But not all is lost; there's use for this seemingly hindering hardware. As I explored the design, Lee mentioned that within these lumps hide digital side mirrors. They're also coupled with an array of sensors, including radar, and can identify obstacles, relaying suggested courses of action to the driver in the process.

A few other touches include those airless tires and soft-shell covers for the split cargo bed at the back. Regarding the interior, all we know is that up to four passengers can be taken along for the ride. But the real question is whether or not this thing has what it takes to become a real vehicle.

Sadly, most likely not. But that doesn't mean there's no potential here. As we can see, the Scorpion is an exploration into a timeless design that's been tried and tested for decades, the pickup truck, and in doing so, we've learned a bit about what else is possible and what isn't. So, our society probably won't be seeing these babies on the streets anytime soon, or ever, for that matter. Even by 2030, the year Mr. Lee envisions for the Scorpion, it probably won't happen.

Do you know one place where I could see this vehicle running wild and doing all sorts of activities? In a video game or movie! Just picture this vehicle in a military setting, with two turrets at the rear, covered in bulletproof panels, and running never-flat wheels. Heck, I could see some laser weapons coming out of those side mirrors; leave the lidar and radars in there. It's a neat little beast if you ask me.